GBI: Funeral home owner faces felonies after decades-old human remains found in shed

One of the owners of a Middle Georgia funeral home was arrested Thursday by the GBI after three sets of human remains were found in a shed behind his business.

Percy Hodges, 70, faces three charges of throwing away or abandonment of dead bodies, which is a felony, in connection with the incident, the GBI said in a news release. He was transferred into the custody of the Candler County Sheriff's Office, where he bonded out for $20,000, Capt. Justin Wells told AJC.com.

On Dec. 28, two metal containers and one casket were found in the shed behind Hodges Funeral Home in Metter by a crew hired to tear down the shed, the release said.

The crew took them to Scrap Partners Recycling to sell, but when they were being offloaded, one of the containers opened, revealing a skull and rib bones, the release said. The GBI determined three sets of remains were inside the containers and casket.

Hodges allegedly told the GBI he put the bodies in the shed in the late 1980s or early 1990s. The GBI believes they were being stored until they had been claimed or until arrangements had been made by family members, the release said.

The GBI and Candler County deputies executed a search warrant at Hodges Funeral Home on Thursday and found information that indicates the remains were more than 25 years old, the release said.

Other information given to the GBI identified the three as Theresa McClarin, Leroy Dixon and Mamie Fredricks. Anyone with information about them is asked to contact the GBI’s Statesboro office at 912-871-1121.